Mactan-Cebu Airport named Asia’s best for under 5M passengers
Mactan-Cebu Airport named Asia’s best for under 5M passengers
Manila, Philippines – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) was named Asia’s Best Airport among 200 airports in the Asia Pacific under the “5 million passenger category” in this year’s Routes Asia Awards in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Wednesday
MCIA Authority likewise vowed to live up to its standards in making central Philippine’s premier airport a major gateway.
Visayas’ premier airport was recognized for its effort to increase passenger traffic amid the global health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and other calamities.
“GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) has always taken a two-pronged approach to route development: airline marketing to create supply and destination marketing to ensure the sustainability of its airline partners’ presence and address the demand for air services,” said Routes Asia in a statement posted on its website.
Routes Marketing recognizes the remarkable efforts of airports, airlines, and destinations during their 2022 streak as they carry out their recovery strategies for 2023. In this category, MCIA bested more than 200 airports in Asia Pacific in Under 5 Million Passenger Category.
Receiving the award for MCIAA Lawyer Tani-Angub Gaviola, Naomi Arcayan, Elmar Tagaloguin, and Jemar Nietes. They were accompanied by GMCAC’s Aines Liboro, Ivan Romano, and Inaki Ponio.
“This recognition attests to our strong commitment to resume our pre-pandemic connectivity while we carry out our strategies in both airline and destination marketing. We also recognize the substantial contribution of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), our airline partners and other airport stakeholders that help sustain the demand and traffic for air connectivity in Cebu,” GMCAC Director Rafael Aboitiz said in a statement.
Starlux has recently joined the MCIA fleet in January 2023, stacking 10 international destinations and 26 domestic destinations, with 14 foreign and 4 Philippine-based airline partners.Starlux has recently joined the MCIA fleet in January 2023, stacking 10 international destinations and 26 domestic destinations, with 14 foreign and 4 Philippine-based airline partners.
Julius Neri Jr., MCIAA general manager and chief executive officer, noted that the public-private partnership between the governing board and the airport’s private management in running the main gateway in Central Visayas and the support from the national and local governments.
“The airport got astounding support from the Department of Tourism and the Department of Transportation. We should thank (Secretaries) Christina Garcia Frasco and Jaime Bautista, for their support has made us move forward from the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and Typhoon Odette,” Neri was quoted in saying in the Philippine News Agency interview.
Neri also noted on the support from the provincial government, saying that Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s policy initiatives on tourism, peace, and development helped to pump prime visitor traffic in Cebu.
He likewise vowed to do more as he eyed to vie for higher recognition in a different category in next year’s award.
“It was the way we marketed the effort as a destination that dramatically increase the number of arrivals from zero after Typhoon Odette to 2 million in the later part of 2022. This is indeed a very perfect example of the public-private partnership between the MCIAA and GMCAC,” he added.
In a separate statement, GMCAC Director Rafael Aboitiz said the recognition denotes their strong commitment to resume the pre-pandemic connectivity while carrying out strategies in both airline and destination marketing.
MCIA, the Philippines’ second busiest airport, is located in a 797-hectare site in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island.
During the awarding night on Wednesday, DOT was also named the winner in the “Destination Category”, noting of its “persistent in its efforts to partner with airports and airlines to reinstate discontinued routes and secure new air services.”
This year also, Singapore Changi Airport has been judged the overall winner of the awards, with Routes noting of the hub’s increased traffic to 32.2 million passenger movements, from just 3.1 million passenger movements in 2021.